1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an animal enclosure apparatus formed from a single sheet of substantially stiff foldable material so as to be easily assembled by a user. More particularly, the invention relates to an animal enclosure apparatus particularly suited for use as a kitty litter apparatus defining a sanitary enclosure which prevents ordors and debris from escaping to the surrounding environment, and which may be easily and conveniently disposed of by a user.
The terminology "kitty litter" as employed herein connotes a particulate material with moisture absorbing qualities commonly placed in a receptacle to provide a cat with a place to relieve itself. Many varieties of kitty litter are commercially available, some of which contain sand or ground clay, for example.
2. Description of Relevant Art
There is a growing tendency to keep household pets such as cats indoors most of the time in order to protect them from outdoor dangers such as passing cars, other animals, etc. A primary problem associated with keeping such pets indoors is the need to provide a litter area in which the pet can relieve itself without creating unsanitary or undesirable conditions for people whose living space encompasses the litter area. Even when pets are allowed outdoors on a regular basis, this same problem arises since it often necessary or desirable to provide a litter area for the pet for those times when it is indoors.
The most commonly known means for providing a litter area for a household cat to relieve itself indoors is simply to place kitty litter material in a shallow box or other similar receptacle. However, such a typical arrangement presents a number of problems. Even though molisture absorbent litter material may be used, the accumulation of body waste in and on the material leads to unpleasant odors in the household area around the kitty litter box. The tendency of cats to bury their body waste leads to the unsanitary spread of litter meterial outside the box. Problems also arise in disposing of the exhausted kitty litter material. Removal of the dirty litter is unpleasant, and unless the box or other container is cleaned with a stron cleaning agent, unpleasant odors and unsanitary conditions result.
Known attempts to overcome some of the foregoing problems have generally taken the form of providing a disposable receptacle with self-contained closure means which permits disposing of the receptacle and exhausted litter together. Such devices are typically sold as a box-shaped unit with kitty litter already provided therein. Illustrative of such devices are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,082 issued Dec. 10, 1988 to Williamson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,563 issued Feb. 28, 1989 to Berry et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,103 issued July 11, 1989 to Brown. Some of such known devices are also provided with enclosing means for the animal using the device, e.g., the devices disclosed in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,792,082 and 4,846,103.
A number of difficulties arise from the foregoing illustrative attempts to overcome the unsanitary and unpleasant conditions associated with kitty litter boxes. The foregoing devices are all designed for sale as a partially assembled unit complete with kitty litter therein. The units thus consume considerable shelf space, are generally heavy for the user to transport after purchasing same, and tend to be relatively expensive. Those units which provide enclosing means for the animal require assembly steps for forming the enclosure during manufacture, tend to be relatively complex in structure, and expensive, and must be at least partially disassembled by the user before disposing of the unit.
There are also known various types of folding or knockdown box devices designed to be assembled and/or disassembled by a user, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,838,222 issued in 1958 to Papadopoulos and U.S. Pat. No. 3,105,627 issued in 1963 to Bowdoin. These devices comprise blanks with fold lines which permit a user to assemble the blank into a carton for storing or transporting items. Such devices are not generally suitable for use as a kitty litter apparatus because they are not designed to permit a pet to enter or exit from same, to comfortably accommodate a pet therein, etc.
The present invention effectively overcomes the problems associated with providing a sanitary litter area for a household pet, while avoiding the difficulties encountered with known devices. The apparatus according to the invention is designed to be assembled by a user, form a fully collapsed state to a state ready for use, in a few simple steps. The assembled apparatus provides a very sanitary enclosure which virtually eliminates odors and debris normally associated with kitty litter boxes. The appratus is inexpensive, easy to transport, and conveniently disposed of without requiring disassembly.